Toronto, Canada’s Derek Lai comes from the age old tradition of storytelling emotional singer/songwriters. For as long as there have been guitars, young singers and poets have been strumming them. They pour their feelings out into singable melodies. They are inspired by love, loss, hope and the existential questions these acting forces engender.
Songwriter? Check out, 1,000+ songwriting prompts.
True to form, Derek wears his heart on his sleeve in his songs. The singer’s latest release is the single “I Like Our Story.” The tune is a heart-rending tale of determination and love. In it, he chronicles the ups-and-downs of a romantic relationship.
Lyrically, Lai uses clever turns of phrase and symbolism to celebrate the joy and pain of a romance that is being given a second chance. But it is the journey through the confusion of love that is the real story here. Derek looks for and finds the beauty in trying to make it work. It is clear that he relishes the journey even more than the reward when he sings, “I like our high notes and even the endings.”
A nice clean and straightforward production leaves plenty of room for Derek to tell his story. His acoustic guitar is at the center, with subtle accompaniment throughout. There is some very nice electric guitar here as well that adds some real depth to the mix.
Derek Lai’s “I Like Our Story” is out now on SoundCloud and YouTube. Follow the links below to connect with the artist.